photo from quarrygirl.com (because she takes better pictures than me)
On hot, sweaty days in LA, when the traffic is thick, the rents are high, and the people are bitchy, I question why I live here and not… say, Portland.
Then I remember Scoops.
I know I’ve said this before, but it’s worth mentioning again: If you live in LA and are a vegan, and haven’t been to Scoops, well, you haven’t lived. Srsly.
Located on Heliotrope Drive, just shy north of Melrose, the unassuming ice cream shoppe is another of this city’s hidden treasures (and as much as it pains me to say it sometimes, there are quite a few). Although not solely a vegan establishment (like the sadly soon-to-be-closed Pure Luck across the street), Scoops is a mecca for ice cream vegan and non-vegans alike. The owner, Mr. Kim, makes all the ice cream himself by hand and can be found frequently behind the counter or wandering around outside greeting customers.
As a dessert afficionado, nothing is better than this. Scoops makes Baskin Robbins seem…nay, taste… like iced death in comparison. The store stocks a variety of 2 – 4 vegan flavors at a time, ranging from my favorite banana Oreo to strawberry vinegar, chocolate cardamon, chocolate oreo, maple vanilla… His Oreo flavors are by far the most superb in my opinion. No matter how full I am I can always make room for a scoop (or two) of plain, maple or banana Oreo. I’ve had a coconut Captain Crunch cereal flavor that I can’t even describe, but was probably the best thing I’ve ever had. My only complaint is how often the shop runs out of vegan flavors which makes no sense. There seems to always be a demand, and I have arrived an hour or two before closing many times to be greeted by the site of the vegan ice cream pans scraped clean. In my dreams, Scoops will go all vegan like Cruzers Pizza. Sigh. A girl can dream.
If you haven’t been to Scoops, it’s summer now and you have no excuse. Especially because with the construction at LACC next door finally over, there is ample parking once again. In addition, Scoops is now open on Sundays.
Plus, if you’re broke like the rest of us– two GENEROUS scoops go for the bargin basement price of around $3 and will almost certainly be served to you by a cute young gay man.
… And then you will love LA again (although to be fair, Portland does have Food Fight Grocery).
Scoops Ice Cream
712 N. Heliotrope Dr.
Los Angeles, CA 90029
Monday-Saturday 12pm – 10pm
Sunday: 2 – 6pm
